Bloody Movie (1987)

”From the producer of Dude! Where’s my Car?” boasts the DVD-cover of Bloody Movie, which I guess it’s true – but it’s also one helluva way to scare away people from this funny and ambitious little slasher-movie that has gotten far to little attention since it’s release in 1987. It seem distribution killed it, which is sad because it’s juicy piece of Scooby Doo-esque cheese-cake and far more entertaining than a most of the other slashers from this era of decline in the genre.

Once Lance Hayward was the biggest star in Hollywood, until the talkies came. He withdrew from the outside world and lived like a hermit in his big mansion… until he one day disappeared. His house has been abandoned for years, and now it’s time to tear it down and build something new. Over the years the house has been a place for Satanists to hold their ceremonies, for teenagers to make out and bikers to party, so even this night. A couple of people in their early twenties is breaking in to explore and have fun, but someone – probably Hayward himself – is starting to re-live his past glory and kills of every guest in gory, silent movie fashion!

No one can blame Bloody Movie to be smart, but it’s directed with a lot of low budget style by Nick Marino (with guidance and support by the legendary André De Toth) and with a fun cast of newbies and old-timers. The whole movie is set inside and outside the mansion, which you never get a clear look at. All furniture is covered by white blankets, which is smart way to hide that they probably didn’t have expensive furniture, and the walls are mostly empty. So it has a cheap look when it comes to the sets. Marino understand the limitations of the location and instead fills the movie with a lot of chases, murders, corny dialogue and the great concept of intercutting footage from silent movies during the murder sequences. It works very good, and give the movie it’s own style.

The acting is uneven from the young actors, but they do what they can do and seem to have a lot of fun. The best thing is the veteran actors doing cameos. John Ireland plays Lance Hayward, he’s in the whole movie but always in disguises and rubber masks – so Ireland is only in the end of the movie. Cameron Mitchell (oh those eyebrows!!!) is good as a tough cop, Aldo Ray has a small role has a bum and Alan Hale is great as the night watchmen of the mansion.

The gore is plenty too. Cheap and corny, but bloody. One character is ripped apart, one is decapitated, there’s impalings and strangulations. Not bad at all, but never convincing. It feels like a bloody and adult episode of Scooby Doo.

Bloody Movie is released by Fred Olen Ray’s Retromedia and the DVD is excellent. Nothing extra except a trailer, but the movie itself looks great – like it’s never been shown before, and it’s a highly recommended purchase for you who enjoys eighties horror.